CAMP HILL, Pa. — Karen Staniforth has been promoted to group vice president of pharmacy initiatives and clinical services at Rite Aid Corp.
The drug chain said Monday that Staniforth, previously mid-Atlantic divisional vice president of pharmacy, will be responsible for the development, implementation and management of new pharmacy business and clinical programs, including immunizations, medication therapy management and medication adherence.
Another key duty for Staniforth in her new role will be to oversee Rite Aid’s wellness ambassador strategy. A linchpin of the retailer’s wellness store format, the ambassador is a specially trained service associate who helps customers access information on over-the-counter medications, vitamins and supplements as well as Rite Aid programs and services.
Staniforth will report to Dan Miller, senior vice president of pharmacy.
"Throughout her career, Karen has garnered critical knowledge and experience across several functional areas of the chain drug industry, making her a true asset to our company," Miller said in a statement. "Her valuable insights will guide us as we work to advance our clinical services and wellness ambassador programs, helping us highlight the expertise of our more than 11,000 pharmacists and providing superior care and health outcomes for our patients nationwide."
A pharmacist with more than 30 years of retail pharmacy experience, Staniforth started her career in 1982 as a pharmacist in Johannesburg, South Africa. In 1991, she joined Novartis Pharmaceuticals as a regional sales manager, overseeing retail sales operations for the company in Cape Town, South Africa. She joined Rite Aid in 1998 as a graduate pharmacy intern after moving to the United States and took on roles of increasing responsibility, becoming a pharmacy manager in 1999.
In 2001, she was promoted to pharmacy district manager, and then in 2006 she was named regional pharmacy vice president. Staniforth became vice president of pharmacy operations in 2009.
